Not sure if this is the right forum, but it is a "movie-related" book...I'm about halfway through The Secret History of Star Wars by Michael Kaminski and I've gotta say, what an amazing book. The author is very articulate in how he explains things and you don't even have to be a big Star Wars fan to enjoy it. Its really about George Lucas and the creative process for filmmakers/writers in general. Its also told from a neutral standpoint, so it never seems like the author is putting Lucas down or rooting for him. Figured I'd post here just to see what others think and maybe generate discussion.

Definitely highly recommend.

Funny, I was just checking out that book on Amazon yesterday. Dropped it on the wishlist. I'm not sure when I'll pick it up.

I downloaded and read the third edition of this back in 2008, when Michael Kaminski had it hosted on his website (he took it down when the book got a publishing deal).

I will say that in that edition, the author had a clear axe to grind against Lucas. Not against the films mind you, or even the direction Lucas took the series in the prequels, but against Lucas's assertions that he always had everything planned out decades ago. It provided ample quotes and citations of material (early screenplay drafts, old interviews/articles) that proved that a large amount of the story/backstory for each film was made up as the series went along.

I wouldn't characterize it as axe-grinding. You can't write an honest book about the history of Star Wars without concluding the Lucas is full of bullshit with the whole, "I had everything planned out from the beginning, and the prequels represent my original vision."

Thanks for this post. I was checking this out on amazon and contemplating the purchase, I will buy now.

I probably chose the wrong phrase to describe the book, as the author doesn't appear to have any ulterior motive or personal grudge against Lucas.

However, the book is written with a clear agenda: to point out where the "official" statements, from Lucas and others, are wrong in regards to how the Star Wars saga was created.

That said, it's a great read for anyone interested in the creative process behind creating Star Wars, or stories in general. The author draws from a wealth of information, combing through all the available outlines and screenplay drafts, to show just how certain characters and plot points were originated, and how they developed into the versions in the final film.

shameless plug for another Star Wars book just recently released:



talk about nostalgic, I have some of the items but definately not all. Recommended!